The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to receptacle connectors that are configured to receive and communicatively engage plug connectors within housing cavities.
Various types of communication systems (e.g., switch boxes, cabling patch panels, wiring closets, and computer I/O) use connector assemblies that include plug and receptacle connectors in which the plug connector is inserted into a cavity of the receptacle connector. As one example, RJ45 plug connectors include eight exposed pins at a leading end of the RJ45 plug connector. The leading end is inserted into a cavity of a corresponding receptacle connector where the pins electrically engage mating conductors within the cavity. Plug connectors typically have an external attachment mechanism that engages the receptacle connector to prevent the plug connector from being inadvertently removed. For example, an RJ45 plug connector has an external spring-loaded tab. The tab is deflected toward the RJ45 plug connector when the leading end is inserted into the cavity of the receptacle connector. The tab forms a snap-fit with the receptacle connector when the leading end reaches a mated position. To remove the RJ45 plug connector, the tab is depressed (e.g., by a finger of the user) until the tab clears the receptacle housing and the RJ45 plug connector is free to be withdrawn.
However, external tabs, such as those used by RJ45 plug connectors, must be accessible to the user so that a user's finger can depress the latch. If the communication system requires a number of receptacle connectors, such as in a patch panel, the receptacle connectors must be spaced sufficiently far apart so that the user's finger may fit between adjacent plug connectors that are mated with the receptacle connectors. However, it is generally desirable to increase the density of receptacle connectors in communication systems in order to minimize size of the connector assembly.
Accordingly, there is a need for a receptacle connector that allows mating and unmating of a plug connector in a confined space.